AdvancementProject

MAPPING THE SCHOOLHOUSE TO JAILHOUSE TRACK

Action Kit

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Action KitAdvancement Project

ContentsINTRODUCTION 5

Ending the Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track Project 5

DATA COLLECTION 7Getting Up To Speed 7Public Records Requests 8Tips for Public Records Requests 9

Sending Correspondence 9Receiving Correspondence 9Data Not Received 9

Public Records Requests Q & A 10

DATA ANALYSIS AND ORGANIZATION 11Maintaining the Integrity of the Data 11Conducting the Analysis 11Lessons Learned 12Beyond the Numbers 13

Stakeholder Interviews 13Interview and Story Documentation Tips 14Community Surveys 14

ABOUT ADVANCEMENT PROJECT 15

APPENDIX I: SAMPLE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS 17

APPENDIX II: SAMPLE DIAGRAM OF SCHOOLHOUSE TO JAILHOUSE TRACKS 21

APPENDIX III: SAMPLE INTERVIEW PROTOCOLS 25

APPENDIX IV: SAMPLE SURVEYS 41

APPENDIX V: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 43

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Action KitINTRODUCTION The zero tolerance approach to school discipline, originally intended to address the growing concerns of school safety, has been expanded to include overly harsh punishments for conduct that has no bearing on safety. Zero tolerance is applied not only to serious weapons, violence and drugs but also to, potential weapons, imaginary weapons, perceived weapons, a smart mouth, headache medicine, tardiness, and spitballs. School districts are not acting alone. In most places, school districts have teamed up with law enforcement to create the “schoolhouse to jailhouse track” by imposing a “double dose” of punishment - suspensions or expulsions and a trip to the juvenile court - for minor acts of misconduct.

No one is safe from the schoolhouse to jailhouse track—– age, grade, past behavior, and disabilities are often irrelevant. However, with the increased presence of police in public schools, and the expanded use of suspensions and expulsions, students of color are being pushed out or thrown out of schools at alarming rates.

This action kit provides guidance on how to dissect the schoolhouse to jailhouse track by:

• Collecting information and data about school discipline policies and practices; and • Analyzing and organizing the data.

Ending the Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track ProjectAdvancement Project is supporting community activists who are working to end the schoolhouse to jailhouse track. The information contained in this action kit is gleaned from Advancement Project’s work over the past five years on these issues and the experiences of the Ending the Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track Project, a partnership between: Advancement Project, Padres Unidos/Jovenes Unidos (Denver, CO), Southwest Youth Collaborative (Chicago, IL), the Children and Families Justice Center at Northwestern University Law School (Chicago, IL), and Community Alliance for Reform in Education (C.A.R.E.) (Palm Beach County, FL).

The Ending the Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track Project seeks to expose and reform the way in which schools have turned to law enforcement and courts to handle minor school disciplinary infractions. Through participatory research, the partners in this project have been able to gather quantitative and qualitative data to first, enable us to have an understanding of the depth of the problem. Second, the research has permitted us to map the track – exactly how are youth being sent packing into the juvenile justice system directly from school – and the outcomes for them once their trip on the track begins.

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Third, the research has given us a richer understanding of the impact of the track, the professed reasons for its existence, and the institutions and persons involved. As a result, we are in a stronger position to mobilize our allies and work toward a consensus for reforms that anticipate potential obstacles and opportunities for sustainable change.

In each of these three sites the schoolhouse-to-jailhouse track is in full operation and communities have begun to realize its the adverse impact on students. This action kit is intended to assist mobilized communities (parents, youth, advocates and educators) in their quest to better understand the operation of the schoolhouse to jailhouse track so that they may ultimately eliminate the negative trends and create caring learning environments where this track is non-existent.

What is Zero Tolerance?Zero tolerance school disciplinary policies and practices exclude students from the educational process through suspensions and expulsions for misconduct; these practices also lead to unnecessary arrests or ticketing of students. Often zero tolerance policies are rigid and unthinking (e.g. ten days suspension for a fight regardless of circumstances). In many schools, however, zero tolerance is a “take no prisoners” approach to discipline, where subjectivity leads to punishment that does not fit the conduct (e.g., three days suspension for “disrespect of authority” or “disobedience”). There is growing concern that these practices are pushing out students that schools consider “disposable” due to low test scores or have labeled “troublemakers.” Nationally, zero tolerance disciplinary practices have disproportionately impacted students of color for minor acts. Students suspended or expelled are more likely to fall behind or fail academically, drop out, and find themselves in the juvenile justice system.

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Action KitDATA COLLECTIONGetting Up To SpeedThe first step in understanding the operation of zero tolerance in a school district is to understand the context of the issue. What triggers zero tolerance? What is punishable? To gain a better understanding of school disciplinary policies and practices, the following materials may be helpful, and can typically be found on the Internet:

• State education laws that govern discipline. To comply with federal law, state education laws require a one-year expulsion of students in possession of a firearm on school grounds. Most state laws go beyond firearms to mandate expulsions or suspensions for other conduct including: drugs, other weapons, violence, etc., and list offenses which require or permit referral to law enforcement. State laws may also indicate whether a suspended or expelled student is entitled to continued educational services, and may detail disciplinary hearing procedures.

• Local School District Code of Conduct. Many public school districts have district-wide disciplinary codes that list all disciplinary offenses and punishments permitted by schools within the district. These policies typically include more offenses than indicated in state law.

• School Disciplinary Code. In some districts, individual schools may have their own code of conduct that details the policies specific to the school.

Most school districts collect suspension and expulsion data. In some states, school districts are also required to maintain student arrest data or referrals to law enforcement. State Departments of Education and local school districts commonly collect this data in the following types of reports that may also be available on the Internet:

• School Accountability Report Cards; • Safety and Discipline Reports; • School Safety and Climate Reports; • Student Disciplinary Action Reports; or • School Violence Reports.

In addition, the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education collects and publishes school district discipline data in its bi-annual Civil Rights Report Card (www.ed.gov/about/list/ocr/index.html.)

If the school resources are not readily available on the Internet, a letter requesting this information, i.e. public records request, may be necessary.

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Public Records RequestsMost school discipline data and related information is considered public record and thus, must be made available to any member of the public upon request. The best way to obtain this information is by making a formal written request. [See Appendix I.] Before making a public records request, it is important to have a clear idea of what type of data/information is going to be most useful to an overall campaign. For example, if a community member believes that a disproportionate number of Latino elementary school students are being suspended unnecessarily for classroom disruptions, then a public records request for suspension data broken down by race, grade, age and type of incident should be sent to public school officials.

Also, it is critical to have an understanding of the state’s public records law. In particular, it is useful to know if the law requires that the district respond within a certain time, and how much can be charged for compiling and copying the requested information. This can be especially helpful if difficulties are encountered in obtaining the information.

For more information about state public records laws, visit the National Freedom of Information Coalition website at: www.nfoic.org.

The following agencies typically maintain school discipline and/or arrest data:

• State Departments of Education;• School Districts;• School Police Departments and/or local Police Departments; • State Departments of Juvenile Justice; and • Court Administrators at local juvenile/municipal/state courts.

The types of data and information that will prove helpful in understanding the schoolhouse to jailhouse track are:

• suspensions, expulsions and arrests/referrals to law enforcement by reason, race, gender, grade and school;

• school prevention and intervention programs, requirements for accessing those programs and participation rates by race, age and gender of students;

• school security budgets;• hiring qualifications and training materials for school security and police officers; • race of school security and police officers assigned to schools;• agreements between school districts and local police departments for law enforcement

services; and • outcomes (or disposition) of cases referred to law enforcement from schools (may be

maintained by courts).

See Appendix l for sample public records requests used in mapping the schoolhouse to jailhouse track.

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Action KitTips for Public Records Requests

SENDING CORRESPONDENCE:

A) After identifying the appropriate agency/agencies, send the initial request. A reminder system should be created for all requests in order to keep track of the date by which the agency should respond.

B) Maintain a record of all correspondence; this should include all phone conversations, faxes, and mailings.

C) All mailed correspondence should be photocopied before sending it.D) For all faxed correspondences, keep a copy of the letter and fax cover page, along

with the confirmation page.E) Keep all correspondences in a binder in reverse chronological order, so that the

most recent correspondence will appear first, and so on.

RECEIVING CORRESPONDENCE:

A) All correspondence received, except the actual data, should be kept with the originating correspondence.

DATA NOT RECEIVED:

A) Make follow-up calls and send faxes to the original contact person at the agency. B) Follow-up should be done promptly. In some states, if too much time passes

between the initial request and the follow-up request, the request process will have to start over.

C) If the agency states that it does not maintain the data requested, use this opportunity to find out the exact data it does keep that may be useful; however, if it does keep the data but denies access, an appeal of the agency’s decision may be an option under state law.

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PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST Q&A

Q: Who can make public records requests? A: In most states the general public may request access to most public records. Some states

however, may limit requests to citizens of the state.

Q: What records are available?A: Each state has laws that identify the types of records that are open to public inspection.

Generally, school discipline policies and statistics are public records While records of juveniles are typically subject to privacy laws, statistical data relating to juveniles are not and are thus, public records.

Q: Do I need to tell the state or local agency why I want the information or what I will do with it?

A: It depends. States are usually only interested in knowing if the information will be used for “commercial” purposes (for a profit). Keep your request short and concise.

Q: In what form may I request the data?A: You may ask that data be provided in hard copy and/or electronically. If you have software

available to analyze the data (i.e., Excel), you should ask for it electronically so that you will not have to input the data in order to analyze it. It may also prove to be less expensive to receive the data electronically than in hard copy. Some agencies may refuse to provide data in a format that permits analysis and may only provide it in PDF or hard copy.

Q: Do I have to pay for the records I request? A: It depends. Most states allow the state and local agencies to charge a fee for copying

the information; some states also allow the agencies to charge an hourly rate for staff time used to search for and compile the information. In addition, many states provide for a reduction in fees or a waiver of fees if the information sought is in the ‘public’s interest’. You should check your state public records law for more information.

Q: How long does the agency have to respond to my request? A: It varies. Some state laws give specific time-frames during which an agency must respond

(e.g. seven working days), while other state laws are written more broadly allowing for a “reasonable amount of time” in which to respond.

Q: If I request a record that also contains private information or information that is not subject to public disclosure, will my request be automatically denied?

A: Not necessarily. Most states allow the state or local agencies to strike portions of the record that are confidential or to simply leave it out altogether (e.g. not providing the names of youth arrested in school) from the record which is provided to the public.

Q: If my request is denied, can I appeal the decision? A: Most state laws provide for an appeal process. Because most laws require an explanation

for the rejection, sometimes it is easiest to contact the agency to find out how the request should be modified.

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Action KitDATA ANALYSIS AND ORGANIZATIONData analysis and organization are key to educating allies and adversaries about the schoolhouse to jailhouse track. Data will paint a picture of the depth of the problem and its impact on groups of students by race, gender, age, grade and school. The analysis will help tell the story and provide insight into the types of reforms needed. However, errors in data analysis can tremendously undermine the credibility of a campaign for reform. Thus, it is critical to spend a significant amount of time understanding and organizing the data that will prove that the schoolhouse to jailhouse track exists.

Maintaining the Integrity of the DataIn maintaining the integrity of the data, the following guidelines are suggested:

• Keep a clean copy of the original set of data and detailed records indicating where, when, and from whom it was received. This is essential for citing the source of the data accurately. It is also helpful to have this information in the event that a follow-up call about the data or if a request for additional information or data is necessary. More importantly, this information can be very helpful if the data is questioned by an outside party.

• Understand the data before using it and compare “apples to apples.” For example, if arrest data for several school years was requested, make sure that the data analyzed is for the corresponding periods of time. Thus, dates should match for comparisons. This can affect the number of arrest incidents and ultimately compromise the integrity of the data analysis.

• If the data needs to be manually entered, have a system of checks and balances to eliminate human error.

Conducting the AnalysisOften public records responses are incomplete or the data may contradict another source or have subtle nuances. Data can be easily misinterpreted if not reviewed carefully.

Data comes in many forms, once received a standardized way to enter and analyze it should be implemented. If data will be compared and contrasted, it is even more important to standardize the entry and analysis of data. For example, when comparing school incident data from Florida, Maryland, and Texas, different terms were used for disruptive behaviors. In Maryland it was called ‘disorderly conduct’; in Florida, there were several different names such as ‘disruption’, ‘disruptive behavior’, and ‘disturbing school activities’; and in Texas, different terminology was also used. In order to avoid confusion, it was necessary to verify that the incidents were similar in nature by contacting the agency that provided the information, and then categorize them uniformly as “disorderly conduct.”

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Additionally, always compare data using a minimum of three consecutive years in an effort to demonstrate a trend.

Lessons Learned• There are often discrepancies between data requested and data received. For

example, in response to a request for student arrest data from the Chicago Police Department, data was provided which supposedly reflected “all student arrests.” Upon closer examination it was discovered that it only showed the arrests of 17 and 18 year olds. A follow-up call was made, and the Chicago Police Department stated that they consider youth ages 16 and younger to be minors and could not release their information due to privacy laws. An appeal was filed arguing that the quantitative data did not reveal the identities of minors and therefore was not covered by privacy laws. We won the appeal and subsequently data was received for all ages.

• Race data is not collected uniformly. School districts, law enforcement agencies and courts may all maintain race data in different ways. In Florida, for example, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement does not maintain Latino data but school districts do. Law enforcement agencies are notorious for bad data; in particular, race data kept by these agencies often undercount or wrongly categorize people. In some places, for example, arresting officers are responsible for indicating the race of persons arrested, and may categorize Latinos either by surname or skin color.

• Data requests for school-based arrests should include arrests by age. Although a campaign may not be focused on age, it is important for the analysis to collect this data in order to eliminate arrests of adults on school grounds.

• The same data may be collected by two different agencies and maintained in different formats. For example, data of student arrests made in Palm Beach County Public Schools is maintained by the Palm Beach County Public Schools Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). While it is the same data, it is reported differently. The FDLE maintains the data on a calendar year, while the school district can generate a report for any period of time. In addition, the FDLE only maintains data for Blacks, Whites, American Indians, and “Orientals,” while the school police department includes Latinos. Based on the available arrest codes, it was concluded that Latino arrests are likely coded as White arrests; this analysis was further supported through interviews with various public defenders who stated that most of the student arrest records coded as White” are in fact Latinos. Such data is misleading because it masks racial disparities.

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Action Kit• School districts may list one incident of violence that includes more than one student –

leading to more than one arrest. In districts that only maintain incident data, using the data may undercount the number of arrests. Further, students may be arrested and charged with more than one offense (e.g. fight leads to an arrest for assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest). Thus, in analyzing the reasons youth were arrested, a uniform rule should be devised for categorizing arrests with multiple offenses. For example, an arrest for a fight that resulted in battery, assault and disorderly conduct charges, might be categorized by the most serious offense, i.e., battery.

• Many school districts, especially those that use the services of local police departments, often do not collect student arrest data. Local police departments maintain arrest data however they may not break out the numbers by schools and or crimes by students. For example, in Chicago, it was necessary to access the neighborhood crime mapping system to identify crimes on school campuses. This data was not helpful because it included crimes committed by adults and crimes after school hours. A formal public records request to the Chicago Police Department ultimately yielded the information needed.

• In larger school districts, it may be most efficient to narrow requests to those schools that are the target of a campaign.

Beyond the NumbersTo thoroughly understand how disciplinary policies truly operate on a daily basis, interviews and surveys are crucial. There can be a significant gap between the policies “on-paper”, the numerical data and real life experiences. This information not only gives life to the numbers but also shows the impact on students, families and community.

STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS

Interviews, narratives and stories provide in-depth understanding and perspectives on the issue of zero tolerance. Interviewees not only provide anecdotes, but they also explain the data and ultimately help map the schoolhouse to jailhouse track. [See Appendices II and III.] Common sources of anecdotal data include:

• students; • parents; • teachers; • school administrators(e.g. principals; vice principals; school safety department);• school board members; • school police officers; • local police departments;• state department of education officials (school safety department);• state law enforcement or juvenile justice agency officials;

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• juvenile court judges; • diversionary program administrators; • probation officers;• state or district attorneys; and • public defenders.

See Appendix III for sample interview protocols.

INTERVIEW AND STORY DOCUMENTATION TIPS

• Some parents and students are uncomfortable sharing their identity with the general public. This is particularly the case if the student is under age 18 and still enrolled in school or is an undocumented immigrant. Thus, when collecting stories to be used publicly, the age and immigration status of the student and her family should be considered. The potential risks to the student and family who decide to publicly share their story should be discussed.

• An arrest is a private matter. While many parents and students are outraged by the unjust criminalization of youth by their schools, it is often difficult to find students who have been arrested and are willing to talk about their experience publicly. Often the students and their families are embarrassed or concerned about continued harassment. Additionally, when a case is pending in court, statements made by the student or parent may be used against them. Parents and lawyers representing these youth should be involved in any discussions about revealing the youth’s identity.

• Attending juvenile court and/or expulsion proceedings to witness the schoolhouse to jailhouse track first hand helps to paint a clearer picture of how the track works and the negative impact it has on students and their families. In some places these court proceedings are open to the public.

COMMUNITY SURVEYS

Surveys can be a critical tool in gaining a deeper understanding of the impact of zero tolerance school discipline policies in a particular community. [See Appendix IV.] Surveys may assist in identifying: youth treated unfairly through disciplinary measures, potential allies, and safety concerns that should be considered when formulating reforms. Often these surveys are helpful in gauging perceptions, but may not be useful as quantitative data unless a significant number of people are surveyed.

For more information about community surveys, go to the Data Center’s website: http://www.datacenter.org/research/creatingsurveys.

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Action KitABOUT ADVANCEMENT PROJECT Advancement Project is a national policy, communications, and legal action organization that develops, encourages, pioneers, and widely disseminates innovative ideas and models that inspire and mobilize a broad national racial justice movement to achieve universal opportunity and a just democracy. For the past five years, Advancement Project has focused on the use and devastating effects of zero tolerance disciplinary policies in public schools.

Advancement Project has continued to develop its expertise on this issue by publishing articles in magazines and journals and working with community organizations to curb this onslaught. Because of our on-the-ground work on zero tolerance, we recognized that zero tolerance is at the intersection of education and juvenile justice concerns. As we worked with communities we recognized a national pattern -- students were not only being pushed out of school because of zero tolerance policies but they were simultaneously being pushed into the juvenile justice system.

“Education on Lockdown: The Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track” is Advancement Project’s second report examining the emergence of zero tolerance school discipline policies and the evolution of schools using police as disciplinarians. To view a copy of the report and learn more about Advancement Project visit www.advancementproject.org.

Contact Information:Advancement Project1730 M Street, NW, #910Washington D.C., 20036Phone: 202/728-9557Fax: 202/728-9558Email: cjrc@advancementproject.org

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Public Records RequestsAPPENDIX I

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Date:

Via First Class Mail and Facsimile (555) 555-1212

[Name]Public Information OfficePublic Schools District

RE: Public Records Requests

Dear Mr. ________:

This letter is to request access to the following public records in your custody and control. Pursuant to section 24-72-203 of the Colorado Public Records Act, please make the following records available for review and photocopying:

1. All documents indicating enrollment for each school by race or ethnicity, gender, grade and disability from [insert dates].

2. All documents indicating by school, the number of students arrested or referred to law enforcement for alleged misconduct in schools by race/ethnicity, gender, age, grade, reason for arrests, and outcome of arrests from [insert dates].

3. All documents detailing the number of citations/summons and/or tickets issued to students by school resource officers, security guards and/or other law enforcement officers assigned to schools from [insert date], disaggregated by school, race/ethnicity of student, race/ethnicity of officer, age of student, gender of student, type of offense and outcome of citations/summonses from [insert dates].

4. All documents indicating by school, the number of students referred to juvenile or criminal court for alleged misconduct in school by race, gender, age, grade, reason for referral and outcome of referrals from [insert dates]

5. All documents indicating by school, the number of school resource officers, security guards and/or other law enforcement officers assigned to schools in your district by race/ethnicity, gender, and years of experience from [insert dates].

6. All documents detailing hiring and training procedures and policies of school resource officers, security guards and/or other law enforcement officers assigned to schools in your district from [insert dates].

7. All documents indicating the amount of funds budgeted annually for school resource officers, security guards and/or other law enforcement officers assigned to schools in your district from [insert dates].

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Action Kit8. All documents indicating the amount of funds budgeted annually for other security

measures, including technology (metal detectors, cameras, etc.)

9. All documents indicating the policies which may cause students to be referred to law enforcement/arrested/ticketed from [insert date].

10. All memoranda of understanding and other contracts between [police department] and [public school system] regarding the employment and responsibilities of school resource officers and other law enforcement officers assigned to schools from [insert date].

11. All documents indicating grant proposals and grants received for school security (technology, security guards, school resource officers, etc.)

Please let us know the cost of photocopying the requested records before they are duplicated. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at .

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely yours,

[Insert name]

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Schoolhouse To Jailhouse TracksAPPENDIX II

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DENVER SCHOOLHOUSE TO JAILHOUSE TRACK

DPS DisciplineDirect Track Track (“Push-(Arrests or Tickets) Outs”)

Arrest or Ticket at School

Denver County CourtCourt Room 191J

Hears cases involvingminor offenses (e.g.,disturbing the peace)

Approximately1,000cases are from DenverPublic Schools per yearNo attorneys provided

Denver District Court

Denver Juvenile Court

Hears cases involvingmore serious offense

(e.g., weapons and drugs)

Public Defenders areAvailable to Indigent

Youth

D.P.S. Expulsion Hearing

Potential Outcome

Probation - up to 1 year

Diversion Program

Community Service

Potential Outcome

Probation - up to 2 years

Diversion Program

Jail Time - up to 45 days

Commitment to JuvenilePrison – up to 2 years

Potential Outcome

Transferred

Expelled

Behavior Contract

Alternative School

Not Allowed in D.P.S.

Denver Public Schools

Suspension –up to 5 – 10 days

Failure to Appear

Will result in aBench Warrant

May spend 2 daysat a juvenile jail and

a $300.00 fine.

jail track

Failure to Appear orViolate Probation

Will result in aBench Warrant

May spend 2 days atjuvenile jail,

probation or sent tojuvenile prison

jail track

Students may be“pushed out” of

school

jail track

One oftwo

courts

Sometimes duringsuspension, parents receiveExpulsion Hearing Notice –

continue suspension until hearing.

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Action KitCHICAGO SCHOOLHOUSE TO JAILHOUSE TRACK

When a petition is filed in juvenile court

1) Student is taken to police station within the school, orto the closest station outside the school, where:

a. 50% of arrests end up as station adjustments(i.e., no formal charges are issued and theminor goes home with a parent/guardian).

2) The remaining cases get referred to juvenile court. Ofthese:

a. 1/3 get referred out of court with no furtheraction;

b. 1/3 get referred to a diversion programc. 1/3 have formal charges filed in juvenile court

1) Many cases are subsequently dismissed –approximately 40%.

2) Even when a petition is filed in court and subsequentlydismissed, or the judge finds the minor not delinquent,the school will often continue with expulsionproceedings in which there are minimal due processsafeguards for the student.

JUVENILECOURT

1) If the school administration, security guards, or on-campus Chicago Police Officer(s) determine that theincident involves what they construe as a “criminalact,” the student is arrested, suspended, andoftentimes expelled;

2) If the incident involves a violation of the UniformDisciplinary Code, but does not amount to acriminal act, disciplinary action can include:

a. Teacher/student and or parent/resourceperson/administrator conference;

b. In school suspensionc. Detention/in school serviced. Out of school suspension for up to 10 dayse. Referral to a School Peer Juryf. Alternative school placementg. Expulsion

POLICESTATION

If referred to Chicago Police Departmentand arrest is made

SCHOOL In school incident

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PALM BEACH COUNTY SCHOOLHOUSE TO JAILHOUSE TRACK

School Incident

School Administrator

Call ParentsNo record

In-SchoolSuspension

Academic Record

Out of SchoolSuspension

Academic Record

Call SchoolPoliceArrest

Probation OfficerCan recommend

diversion ORSTATE

ATTORNEY

Youth CourtNo Record

(if successful)

Teen MediationNo Record

(if successful)

Juvenile CourtHearing

Youth CourtNolle Prosse

Record

Probation/Detention

JuvenileRecord

Interview ProtocolsAPPENDIX III

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INTERVIEWING A JUDGEDate: Name of Interviewer:

Introductory Statement to be made by interviewer: Hello, my name is and I am a member of (name of organization). We are investigating the way schools arrest students for minor behavior and sometimes refer these students to juvenile court. We would like to gather information from judges who hear cases involving incidents that occurred at schools. We will be asking you questions about your experiences as a juvenile court judge. Before we begin, do you have any questions?

CONTACT INFORMATION

Name of JudgeName of CourtAddress of CourtTelephone No. of JudgeRace/Ethnicity of JudgeLanguage(s) Spoken by Judge

QUESTIONS

1. How long have you been a Judge?2. How long have you been a juvenile court judge? 3. What formal training do you receive for your position as a juvenile court

judge?a. Do you receive training on adolescent development? b. Do you receive training on children with disabilities?

4. How often do you receive this training?5. Do you believe police officers should be assigned to schools? If so, why? If

not, why not?6. What percentage of the cases you hear involve a student’s conduct in school?

a. Percentage of delinquency cases?b. Percentage of truancy cases?

7. What percentage of the cases you hear involve students with disabilities who have allegedly misbehaved in school?

8. What are typical cases? E.g., fights, classroom disruption, etc?9. Please give an example of a case involving a school incident that you thought

did not warrant police or court involvement? 10. Typically, how are these school cases resolved?

a. Dismissal?b. Probation? If so, how long? What are the typical terms of probation?c. Payment fines? If so, how much?d. Referred to diversionary program? Under what circumstances?e. Referred to alternative school?f. Other?

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Action Kit11. How often do students who are placed on probation violate probation?

a. What is the typical reason for the violation?b. What happened?

12. Is the outcome of cases involving students with disabilities any different from the outcome of similar cases involving students without disabilities? If so, please describe the different outcomes?

13. Are educational or emotional disabilities taken into consideration in deciding whether a student’s case should go forward?

14. Are educational or emotional disabilities taken into consideration in deciding the punishment/disposition of a student’s case?

15. What is the race/ethnicity of students involved in most of school incident cases? Gender?

16. From which schools are most of these school incident cases coming?17. Do teachers or other school administrators attend juvenile court hearings to

defend these cases? a. If not, what information from the school does the district attorney use to

prosecute these cases? 18. What information do you consider when you defend or decide school incident

cases? For example, do you consider whether a student has a disability? Grades? Etc.

19. What types of programs or services are available to students who find themselves in juvenile court due to alleged school misconduct? Please describe.a. Diversionary programs?b. Alternative Schools?c. Counseling?

20. What are the criteria for entering these programs? 21. Do you believe that these programs or services are effective? If so, why? If

not, why not?22. What type of student behavior should result in an arrest or referral to juvenile

court? a. Drug violations?b. Alcohol violations?c. Fights (without weapons)?d. Dangerous Weapons?e. Robbery?f. Disobedience or Defiance?g. Destruction of School Property?h. Other?

23. What do you think needs to be changed in order to reduce the number of students being referred to juvenile court from schools?

24. Do you know of any other lawyers, Judges or parents who would be willing to speak with us about their experiences with students who have been arrested in school for minor infractions and/or referred to juvenile court? a. If so, may I have his/her contact information?

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INTERVIEWING A LAWYERDate: Name of Interviewer:

Introductory Statement to be made by interviewer: Hello, my name is and I am a member of (name of organization). We are investigating the way schools arrest students for minor behavior and sometimes refer these students to court. We would like to gather information from lawyers who represent students who have been referred to juvenile court for incidents that occurred in school. We will be asking you questions about your experiences representing these students in court. Before we begin, do you have any questions?

CONTACT INFORMATION

Name of LawyerName of Law OfficeAddress of LawyerTelephone No. of Lawyer Race/Ethnicity of LawyerLanguage(s) Spoken by Lawyer

QUESTIONS

1. How long have you been a lawyer?2. How long have you represented young people in juvenile court? 3. Do you believe police officers should be assigned to schools? If so, why? If

not, why not?4. Do you believe school police officers are doing a good job? Why or why not?5. What percentage of the cases you handle involve a student’s conduct in

school?a. Percentage of delinquency cases?b. Percentage of truancy cases?

6. What percentage of the cases you handle involve students with disabilities who have allegedly misbehaved in school?

7. What are typical cases? E.g., fights, classroom disruption, etc?8. Please give an example of a case involving a school incident that you thought

did not warrant police or court involvement? 9. Typically, how are these school cases resolved?

a. Dismissal?b. Probation? If so, how long? What are the typical terms of probation?c. Payment fines? If so, how much?d. Referred to diversionary program? Under what circumstances?e. Referred to alternative school?f. Other?

10. How often do students who are placed on probation violate probation? a. What is the typical reason for the violation?b. What happened?

11. Is the outcome of cases involving students with disabilities any different from the

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Action Kitoutcome of similar cases involving students without disabilities? If so, please describe the different outcomes?

12. Are educational or emotional disabilities taken into consideration in deciding whether a student’s case should go forward?

13. Are educational or emotional disabilities taken into consideration in deciding the punishment/disposition of a student’s case?

14. What is the race/ethnicity of students involved in most of school incident cases? Gender?

15. From which schools are most of these school incident cases coming?16. Do teachers or other school administrators attend Juvenile Court hearings to

defend these cases? a. If not, what information from the school does the district attorney use to

prosecute these cases? 17. What information do you consider when you defend school incident cases?

For example, do you consider whether a student has a disability? Grades? Etc.

18. What types of programs or services are available to students who find themselves in juvenile court due to alleged school misconduct? Please describe.a. Diversionary programs?b. Alternative Schools?c. Counseling?

19. What are the criteria for entering these programs? 20. Do you believe that these programs or services are effective? If so, why? If

not, why not?21. What type of student behavior should result in an arrest or referral to juvenile

court? a. Drug violations?b. Alcohol violations?c. Fights (without weapons)?d. Dangerous Weapons?e. Robbery?f. Disobedience or Defiance?g. Destruction of School Property?h. Other?

22. What do you think needs to be changed in order to reduce the number of students being referred to juvenile court from schools?

23. If a student is undocumented and gets arrested or referred to court, will the student get deported? Is so, what types of crimes lead to deportation?

24. Do you know of any other lawyers, judges or parents who would be willing to speak with us about their experiences with students who have been arrested in school for minor infractions and/or referred to juvenile court? a. If so, may I have his/her contact information?

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INTERVIEWING A PARENT

Date: Name of Interviewer:

Introductory Statement to be made by interviewer: Hello, my name is and I am a member of (name of organization). We are investigating the way schools arrest students for minor behavior and sometimes refer these students to court. We are gathering stories from parents whose children have been arrested in school. After we have gathered all the stories, we will publish a report that exposes the problem and offers solutions. We will keep the information you share with us confidential and will not make it public unless you give us permission to do so. Do you have any questions?

CONTACT INFORMATION

Name of Parent/GuardianAddress of Parent/GuardianTelephone No. of Parent/Guardian First Name of Student Race/Ethnicity of StudentLanguage(s) Spoken by StudentLanguage(s) Spoken by Parent/GuardianName of School Student Now AttendsName of School PrincipalCurrent Grade of Student: Age of Student: Name of School Where Disciplinary Incident(s) OccurredName of School PrincipalMonth/Year of Disciplinary Incident(s)

QUESTIONS

1. Which of the following word or words best describes your child’s school security officers and police officers? Please explain your answer?

a. Friendlyb. Fair c. Meand. Unfair

2. Has your child ever been arrested or given a ticket at school? If so, how many times?

3. Describe the incident(s) leading up to the arrest(s) or receipt of tickets?a. When did the incident occur?b. Where did it occur? c. Was a weapon involved? If so, what type of weapon and who used it?d. Did a teacher/assistant principal get involved? What is his/her name? What

did he/she do?

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Action Kite. Did a security officer/police officer get involved? What is his/her name?

What did he/she do?f. If your child was arrested, how long did your child stay in jail?

4. Did your child have an opportunity to explain his/her side of the story before he/she was arrested/given a ticket?

5. Did the police officer advise your child of his/her rights before your child was arrested or given a ticket?

6. When were you notified about your child’s arrest or ticket? a. What was your child charged with?b. Did you know that your child could be arrested for this type of charge?

7. Did your child have to appear in court? 8. Was your child represented by an attorney in court? If so, what was the attorney’s

name?9. When did you speak with the attorney? Before you went to court? In court?10. Did you understand the juvenile court hearings? Did you need a translator? If so,

did you get one?11. What happened in court?

a. Was your child placed on probation?i. If so, for how long?ii. What was your child ordered to do while he/she was on probation?iii.Did your child violate probation? If so, what happened?

b. Did you have to pay a fine? If so, how much?c. Was your child given counseling? If so, what kind?d. Was your child sent to a program for Juvenile? If so, where and for how

long?12. Before the arrest or ticket, had your child ever been suspended? If so why?13. Before the arrest or ticket, had your child received special education and related

services, like counseling? If so, what types of services?14. After the arrest or ticket, did your child return to school? If not, where did he/she

go?15. Do you believe your child was treated fairly during the arrest/ticket? At Court? If

not, why not?16. What emotional impact did the arrest/ticket/Court experience have on your child?17. If you could change the way the school disciplines students, what would you

change?18. Do you know of any other students who have been arrested/received a ticket?

If so, would you please give us the name of the students’ parents/Guardians or would you feel more comfortable asking them to contact us?

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INTERVIEWING A SCHOOL PRINCIPALDate: Name of Interviewer:

Introductory Statement to be made by interviewer: Hello, and thank you for meeting with us. My name is and I am a member of (name of organization). We are researching school discipline policies that lead to the arrest of students and sometimes the referrals of these students to court. We will be asking you a few questions about school policies and practices. Before I begin, do you have any questions for us?

CONTACT INFORMATION

Name of School Principal/Asst. PrincipalName of SchoolAddress of SchoolTelephone No. of PrincipalRace/Ethnicity of PrincipalLanguage(s) Spoken by Principal

QUESTIONS

1. How long have you been a principal at this school?2. Have you served as principal at any other schools? If so, where?3. What, if any, training did you receive for your position as principal?

e.g., where you trained on how to manage student behavior? 4. How often do you receive this training?5. Do you have school security officer and/or police officers assigned to your

school? If so, how many?6. What are the duties and responsibilities of these security officers? 7. What are the duties and responsibilities of school police officers?8. To whom do security officers report? 9. To whom do school police officers report?10. Do you believe that security officers and police officers are needed? If so,

why? If not, why not?11. Do you believe that school security officers are capable of keeping the schools

safe and secure without the help of police officers? If so, why? If not, why not?

12. What is the school policy and practice for arresting a student (referring a student to law enforcement)?a. Under what circumstances are students arrested?b. Who makes the decision to have a student arrested?

13. What is the school policy and practice for giving a student a ticket?a. Under what circumstances will a student receive a ticket?b. Who makes the decision to give a ticket to a student?

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Action Kit14. What is the school policy and practice for referring a student to court?

a. Under what circumstances will a student be referred to court?b. Who makes the decision to refer a student to court?

15. How are students/parents notified about these policies and practices? When are they notified?

16. What percentage of the student body is arrested for incidents that occur in school?

17. What are the typical reasons for these arrests?18. What percentage of the student body is referred to court for incidents that occur

in school?19. What are the typical reasons for these referrals to court?20. What percentage of students with disabilities is arrested? Referred to court?21. Do you handle the arrest/referral of students with disabilities differently when

compared to students without disabilities? If so, what do you do differently?22. Do your teachers receive formal training on adolescent development?

Classroom management? If so, how often are they trained?23. What types of programs exist at your school that serves as an alternative to the

arrest, suspension, or expulsion a child from school?24. How are these programs funded?25. What percentage of the students who are arrested or referred to court return to

this school?26. What type of student behavior should result in an arrest or referral to juvenile

court? a. Drug violations?b. Alcohol violations?c. Fights (without weapons)?d. Dangerous Weapons?e. Robbery?f. Disobedience or Defiance?g. Destruction of School Property?h. Other?

27. What, if any, concerns do you have about a student who is arrested of referred to youth court for an incident that occurred in school?

28. If faculty or staff treats a student unfairly, what recourse does the student have?

29. If you could change the way the school disciplines students, what would you change?

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INTERVIEWING A SCHOOL TEACHERDate: Name of Interviewer:

Introductory Statement to be made by interviewer: Hello, and thank you for meeting with us.My name is and I am a member of (name of organization). We are researching school discipline policies that lead to the arrest of students and sometimes the referrals of these students to Court. We will be asking you a few questions about school policies and practices. Before I begin, do you have any questions for us?

CONTACT INFORMATION

Name of TeacherName of SchoolAddress of SchoolTelephone No. of TeacherRace/Ethnicity of TeacherLanguage(s) Spoken by Teacher

QUESTIONS

1. How long have you been teaching?2. How long have you been a teacher at this school?3. What grade(s) do you teach? What subjects?4. Have you taught at any other schools? If so, where?5. During your time as a teacher, have you received formal training on adolescent

development? If so, how often? a. Have you received formal training on classroom management? If so, how

often?6. Do you have school security officers and/or police officers assigned to your

school? If so, how many?7. What are the duties and responsibilities of school security officers?8. What are the duties and responsibilities of school police officers?9. To whom do school security officers report?10. To whom do school police officers report?11. Do you believe that school security officer are needed? If so, why? If not, why

not?12. Do you believe that school police officers are needed? If so, why? If not, why

not?13. Do you believe that school security officer are capable of keeping the school

safe and secure without the help of police officers? If so why? If not, why not?

14. What is the school policy and practice for arresting a student (referring a student to law enforcement)?a. Under what circumstances are students arrested?b. Who makes the decision to have a student arrested?

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Action Kit15. What is the school policy and practice for giving a student a ticket?

a. Under what circumstances will a student receive a ticket?b. Who makes the decision to give a ticket to a student?

16. Do you handle the arrest/referral of students with disabilities differently when compared to students without disabilities? If so, what do you do differently?

17. Have you ever pressed charges against a student? If so, please describe the incident?

18. Have you ever witnessed a student being treated unfairly by school security or police officers? If so, please describe the incident.

19. What types of programs exist at your school that serve as an alternative to the arrest, suspension, or expulsion a child from school?

20. What type of student behavior should result in an arrest or referral to juvenile court? a. Drug violations?b. Alcohol violations?c. Fights (without weapons)?d. Dangerous Weapons?e. Robbery?f. Disobedience or Defiance?g. Destruction of School Property?h. Other?

21. What, if any, concerns do you have about a student who is arrested of referred to juvenile court for an incident that occurred in school?

22. Do you feel safe in the school? If not, why not?23. Do you believe that your school should have more police or fewer police?

Please explain your answer.24. If you could change the way the school disciplines students, what would you

change?

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INTERVIEWING A SECURITY OFFICER/POLICE OFFICERDate: Name of Interviewer:

Introductory Statement to be made by interviewer: Hello, and thank you for meeting with us. My name is and I am a member of (name of organization). We are researching school discipline policies that lead to the arrest of students and sometimes the referrals of these students to court. We will be asking you a few questions about school policies and practices. Before I begin, do you have any questions for us?

CONTACT INFORMATION

Name of Security Officer/Police OfficerName of SchoolAddress of SchoolTelephone No. of Security/PoliceRace/Ethnicity of Security/PoliceLanguage(s) Spoken by Security/PoliceHow long have you been a security officer/police officer?

QUESTIONS

1. How long have you been a security officer/police officer at this school?2. Have you been assigned as a security officer/police officer at any other school

(s)? If so, where?3. What did you do prior to working as a school security officer/police officer?4. During your time as a security officer or police officer, have you received formal

training on adolescent development? If so, how often? 5. During your time as a security officer or police officer, have you received formal

training on classroom management? If so, how often? 6. How many security officers/police officers are assigned to your school? 7. What are the duties and responsibilities of security officers?8. To whom do security officers report?9. To whom do school police officers report?10. What is the relationship between you and the school administration? For

example, are you supervised by school administrators, etc.11. Do you believe that security officers are needed? If so, why? If not, why not?12. Do you believe that school police officers are needed? If so, why? If not, why

not?13. Do you believe that school police officers are needed? If so, why? If not, why

not?14. Do you believe that school security officers are capable of keeping the school

safe and secure without the help of school police officers? If so why? If not, why not?

15. What is the school policy and practice for arresting a student (referring a student to the police)?a. Under what circumstances are students arrested?b. Who makes the decision to have a student arrested?

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Action Kit16. What is the school policy and practice for giving a student a ticket?

a. Under what circumstances will a student receive a ticket?b. Who makes the decision to give a ticket to a student?

17. What is the school policy and practice for referring a student to juvenile court?a. Under what circumstances will a student be referred to court?b. Who makes the decision to refer a student to court?

18. When are students read their Miranda rights? By whom?19. How are students/parents notified about the arrest? When are they notified?20. What percentage of the student body is arrested for incidents that occur in

school?21. What are the typical reasons for these arrests?22. What percentage of the student body is referred to court for incidents that occur

in school?23. What are the typical reasons for these referrals to court?24. What percentage of students with disabilities is arrested? Referred to youth

court?25. Do you handle the arrest/referral of students with disabilities differently when

compared to students without disabilities? If so, what do you do differently?26. Have you ever used a weapon against a student? If so, please explain.27. If it is necessary to restrain a student, how do you do it? 28. How do you interact with students or parents who do not speak English?29. What types of programs exist at your school that serves as an alternative to the

arrest, suspension, or expulsion a child from school?30. What percentage of the students who are arrested or referred to youth court

return to this school?31. What type of student behavior should result in an arrest or referral to youth

court? a. Drug violations?b. Alcohol violations?c. Fights (without weapons)?d. Dangerous Weapons?e. Robbery?f. Disobedience or Defiance?g. Destruction of School Property?h. Other?

32. What, if any, concerns do you have about a student who is arrested of referred to youth court for an incident that occurred in school?

33. If you could change the way the school disciplines students, what would you change?

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INTERVIEWING A STUDENTDate: Name of Interviewer:

Introductory Statement to be made by interviewer: Hello, my name is and I am a member of (name of organization). We are investigating the way schools arrest students for minor behavior and sometimes refer these students to juvenile court. We are gathering stories from students who have been arrested in school. We will keep the information you share with us confidential and will not make it public unless you give us permission to do so. Do you have any questions?

CONTACT INFORMATION

Name of StudentName of Parent/Guardian Address of Parent/GuardianTelephone No. of Parent/GuardianRace/Ethnicity of StudentLanguage(s) Spoken by StudentLanguage(s) Spoken by Parent/GuardianName of School Student Now AttendsName of School PrincipalCurrent Grade of Student: Age of Student: Name of School Where Disciplinary Incident(s) OccurredName of School PrincipalMonth/Year of Disciplinary Incident(s)

QUESTIONS

1. Does your school have security officers? If so, how many?2. Does your school have police officers? If so, how many? 3. Which of the following word or words best describes your school security officers

and police officers? Please explain your answer? a. Friendlyb. Fairc. Meand. Unfair

4. How would your describe your school. Does it:a. Have a friendly atmosphereb. Feel unsafec. Feel like a prison

5. Have you ever been arrested/given a ticket at school? If so, how many times?

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Action Kit6. Describe the incident(s) leading up to the arrest(s)/receipt of tickets?

a. When did the incident occur?b. Where did it occur? c. Was a weapon involved? If so, what type of weapon and who used it?d. Did a teacher/assistant principal get involved? What is his/her name? What

did he/she do?e. Did a security officer/police officer get involved? What is his/her name?

What did he/she do?7. Did you have an opportunity to explain your side of the story before you where

arrested/given a ticket?8. Did the police officer read your rights before you were arrested/given a ticket?9. When were your parents notified about your arrest/ticket?

a. If you were arrested, how long were you held at the jail?10. Did you have to appear in court?

a. If so, when were you told about the court date?b. What was the charge?

11. Where you represented by an attorney in court? If so, what was your attorney’s name?

12. When did you speak with attorney? Before you went to court? In court?13. Did you understand the court hearings? If so, what happened?

a. Were you placed on probation?i. If so, for how long?ii. What was your child ordered to do while he/she was on probation?iii. Did you violate probation? If so, what happened?

b. Did you have to pay a fine? If so, how much?c. Did you receive counseling? If so, what kind?d. Were you sent to a program for youth? If so, where and for how long?

14. Before the arrest/ticket, had you ever been suspended? If so, why?15. Before the arrest/ticket, had you received special education and related services,

like counseling? If so, what types of services?16. After the arrest/ticket, did you return to school? If not, where did you go?17. Do you believe you were treated fairly during the arrest/ticket process? At court?

If not, why not? 18. If you could change the way the school disciplines students, what would you

change?19. Do you know of any other students who have been arrested/received a ticket?

If so, would you please give us the name of the students’ parents/guardians or would you feel more comfortable asking them to contact us.

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Sample SurveyAPPENDIX IV

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SAMPLE STUDENT SURVEYName of Group is conducting an investigation of the way students at Name of School District are being arrested, ticketed, and/or sent to juvenile court for minor behavior that occurs in school. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey. Thank you for your participation.

1. What type of school do you attend? ________ Middle School________ High School

7. If so, what was the reason for ticket or summons?

____ Fight ____ Weapons____ Disobedience ____ Weapons____ Other ______________________

2. Does your school have security guards?

____ Yes – How many? ________ No

8. Have you ever appeared in juvenile court for behavior that occurred in school?

____ Yes – How many times? ________ No

3. Does your school have resource/police officers?

____ Yes – How many? ________ No

9. Were you represented by a lawyer?____ Yes ____ No

4. Have you ever been arrested at school in the past 3 years?

____ Yes ____ No

10. What happened with the court case?____ Case was dismissed____ I was placed on probation ____ I had to pay a fine____ I was sent to a juvenile facility ____ I was sent to an alternative school____ I did not show up to court ____ Other ______________________

5. If so, what was the reason for the arrest?

____ Fight ____ Weapons____ Disobedience ____ Weapons____ Other ______________________

11. May we contact you for additional information? ____ Yes ____ No

If yes, please give us your name and telephone numberName ____________________________Telephone # _______________________

6. Have you ever been issued a ticket or summons at school in the past 3 years?

____ Yes – How many? ________

Additional ResourcesAPPENDIX V

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCESAdvancement Project, Education on Lockdown: The Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track (Washington, DC: Advancement Project, 2005), http://www.advancementproject.org/publications.html.

Advancement Project and Harvard Civil Rights Project, Opportunities Suspended: The Devastating Consequences of Zero Tolerance and School Discipline (Advancement Project and the Harvard Civil Rights Project, 2000), http://www.advancementproject.org/publications.html.

Building Blocks for Youth Initiative, Unintended Consequences: The Impact of Zero Tolerance and Other Exclusionary Policies on Kentucky Students (Washington, DC: Building Blocks for Youth Initiative, 2003), http://www.buildingblocksforyouth.org/kentucky/kentucky.html. Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, School House Hype: The School Shootings and the Real Risks Kids Face in America (California: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, 1998), http://www.cjcj.org/pubs/shooting/shootings.html.

Ellen Boylan, Advocating for Reform of Zero Tolerance Student Discipline Policies: Lessons from the Field (New Jersey: Education Law Center, 2002), http://www.edlawcenter.org/ELCPublic/Publications/Pubs_Menu.htm.

Ellen Boylan and Jennifer Weiser, Survey of Key Education Stakeholders on Zero Tolerance Student Discipline Policies (New Jersey:Education law Center, 2002), http://www.edlawcenter.org/ELCPublic/Publications/PDF/Survey_ZeroTolerance.pdf.

Hema Sareen, Reinforcing Positive Student Behavior to Prevent School Violence: Enhancing the Role of School Safety Agents (New York: The Vera Intstitute for Justice, 2001), www.vera.org/publication_pdf/198_380.pdf.

Institute for Children, Youth and Families, Zero Tolerance Policies and Their Impact on Michigan Students (Michigan: Institute for Children, Youth and Families at Michigan State University for the Michigan Nonprofit Association, 2003), http://www.mnaonline.org/pdf/spotlight%202002_12.pdf.

Joan N. Burstyn, et al, Preventing Violence in Schools: A Challenge to American Democracy (New Jersey: Lawrence ErlbaumAssociates, 2001), http://www.erlbaum.com/shop/tek9.asp?pg=products&specific=0-8058-3734-5.

Johanna Wald and Daniel J. Losen, Deconstructing the School-to-Prison Pipeline (California: Jossey-Bass, 2003), http://www.josseybass.com.

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Action KitJudith A. Browne, Derailed!: The Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track (Washington, DC: Advancement Project, 2003), http://www.advancementproject.org/publications.html.

Kim Potts and Bintou Njie, Zero Tolerance in Tennessee Schools: An Update (Tennessee: Office of Education Accountability, Comptroller of Treasury, 2003), http://www.comptroller.state.tn.us/orea/reports/zerotoler2003.pdf. Melorra Sochet, A Model for School Safety: Assessing the Accomplishments of two Brooklyn Neighborhoods in the First Year (New York: Vera Institute of Justice, 2001), www.vera.org/publication_pdf/schoolsafetymodel.pdf.

Melorra Sochet and Catherine Berryman, “The Nuts and Bolts of Implementing School Safety Programs” (New York: The Vera Institute of Justice, 2000), http://www.vera.org/publication_pdf/nutsandbolts.pdf.

Milton Mino, Implementing a School Safety Project: An Evaluation of the I.S. 275 Brownsville Youth for Peace Safety Project (New York: The Vera Institute of Justice, 2003), (http://www.vera.org/publication_pdf/190_363.pdf).

Milton Mino, Working Together to Improve School Safety: An Evaluation of the Park West Problem-Solving Collaborative Initiative (New York: The Vera Institute for Justice, 2002), http://www.vera.org/publication_pdf/160_247.pdf.

Pedro Noguera, Schools, Prisons and Social Implications of Punishment: Rethinking Disciplinary Practices (In Motion Magazine, 2003), http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/er/pn_rethink.html.

Robert Balfanz, Kurt Spiridakis, Ruth Neild, and Nettie Ledgers, Neighborhood High Schools and the Juvenile Justice System: How Neither Helps the Other and How that Could Change (Boston: School to Prison Pipeline Conference-Harvard Civil Rights Project, 2003), http://www.civilrightsproject.harvard.edu/research/pipeline03/BalfanzRobert.pdf.

Ronnie Casella and Jean Anyon, Being Down: Challenging Violence in Urban Schools (New York: Teachers College Press, 2001)

Russell Skiba, et al, The Color of Discipline: Sources of Racial and Gender Disproportionality in School Punishment (Indiana: Indiana Education Policy Center, 2000), http://www.indiana.edu/~safeschl/cod.pdf.

Russell Skiba, et al, Consistent Removal: Contributions of School Discipline to the School-Prison Pipeline (Indiana: Indiana Education Policy Center & Indiana University–School to Prison Pipeline Conference: Harvard Civil Rights Project, 2003), www.civilrightsproject.harvard.edu/ research/pipeline03/Skibbav3.pdf.

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Russell Skiba and Gil Noam, Zero Tolerance: Can Suspension & Expulsion Keep Schools Safe? (Massachusetts: New Directions for Youth Development, 2002), http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-078791441X,subjectCd-PS78.html.

Russell Skiba, Zero Tolerance, Zero Evidence: An Analysis of School Disciplinary Practice (Indiana: Indiana Education Policy Center, 2000), http://www.indiana.edu/~safeschl/ztze.pdf.

Ruth Zweifler and Julia de Beers, “The Children Left Behind: How Zero Tolerance Impacts Our Most Vulnerable Children”, Michigan Journal of Race and Law, no. 8 (2002):191-220.

Sandra B. Simkins, Amy E. Hirsch & Erin McNamara Horvat, The School-to-Prison Pipeline for Girls: The Role of Physical and Sexual Abuse (Massachusetts: Community Legal Services, Law Center North Central–School to Prison Pipeline Conference: Harvard Civil Rights Project, 2003), http://www.civilrightsproject.harvard.edu/research/pipeline03/Hirsch.pdf.

Terry Keleher, Racial Disparities Related to School Zero Tolerance Policies (California: Applied Research Center, 2000), http://www.arc.org/Pages/ArcPub.html#erase.

William Ayers, Bernardine Dohrn and Rick Ayers, eds., “Zero Tolerance: Resisting the drive for punishment – A Handbook for Parents, Students, Educators and Citizens” (The New Press, 2001), http://www.northwestern.edu/magazine/northwestern/fall2002/bookshelf/bookshelf2.htm.

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